Hair drier



W. V. RIFLE 2,052,799

HAIR DRIER Filed Aug, 22, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l bN Nh.

Sept. 1, 1936.

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HAIR DRIER Filed Aug. 22, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nven for 5%@ W Patented Sept.. l, i936 2 Claims.

My invention relates to hair driers in which an increased dryness of the drying air is secured by heating it, and this1 heated air is forced through a duct and delivered and applied to the hair of one or more persons through a suitable air distributing hood or hoods.

The paramount object of my invention is to provide an eicient multiple hood hair drier capable of giving perfect service at low operating cost and low first cost; salient objects are, flrst, to provide an eilicient means for utilizing the available heat in the fuel; second, to provide adequate means for preventing objectionable condensation Iin the combustion chamber and its connecting flue; third, to provide adequate means for maintaining the drying air at a reasonably uniform temperate temperature; fourth, to provide adequate means for regulating the temperature of the drying air at each individual service equipment; fth, to provide a simple means of automatically controlling the supply of fuel in accordance with the heating service required; and sixth, to provide means for adjusting the elevations yof hoods and nozzles to suit persons of different stature when sitting. These and' other objects are attained by the means herein described and illustrated. in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my apparatus in which a part of the casing and heating drum have been broken away to show the gas burner; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal verticalfsection along a part of the air distributing duct I6, showing the location and a cross section of the air baille 5I Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan or top View of the air baille 5I; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one air conduit equipped with an air nozzle and a hood, and arranged to take both heated and unheated air under pressure; Fig. 5 is a combination piping and wiring diagram showing the general arrangement of the gas control valves and electric switches; Fig. 6 is a vertical section passing through the center line of an air conduit equipped with a hood and having an inlet and pipe arranged to draw in unheated air at atmospheric pressure; Fig. 7 is an enlarged rear view or elevation of an air conduit having an inlet arranged to draw in air at atmospheric pressure; and Fig. 8 is a vertical section passing through the center line of an air conduit equipped with a hood and having an inlet arranged to draw in air at atmospheric pressure.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Fig. 1, the plate II, corner angles I2, shelf supports I3, shelf it, an outer casing I5, air duct I6 and duct support I 'I constitute the framework of the apparatus, The'shelf I4 carries a motor driven low pressure blower I8 having an outlet I9 through the plate I I. The plate I I carries a heating drum 20 having a plain top 20a and a pleated metal side 20h enclosing a combustion chamber. The bottom of the heating drum is partly enclosed by an inverted frustrum of an oblique cone 23 having an opening 24 at its base to provide space for a burner 25 and a pilot lighter 26.

'Ihe heating drum is heated by burning either liquid fuel or gas, the supply of which is regulated by electrically operated controlling equipl5 ment. The frame work carries fuel controlling and safety equipment of which one arrangement adapted to the use of gas and alternating current is shown.

Referring to Fig. 5, the primary air valve 21 and a flame adjustment valve 28 are located immediately adjacent the gas burner 25, and a magnetic gas valve 29 is located in the gas line between the flame adjustment valve 28 and the service valve or gas cock 30 on the general gas supply line 3l. 'I'his magnetic gas valve is designed for use in cooperation with a two wiremercury switch type thermostat, and is operated by direct current at twenty (20) volts. This magnetic gas valve closes automatically if a power failure occurs.

The tip 26a of the automatic pilot 23 is located so that ame from the pilot will ignite gas from the burner. 'This automatic pilot 26 is designed for use in cooperation with the magnetic gas valve 29. In case the pilot light goes out, the thermostatic element 32 of the pilot contracts and causes the pilot switch 2Gb to open-breaking the low voltage thermostatic circuit 33 to the magnetic gas valve 29, and causing it to close and cut off the supply of gas to the burner 25. The flame adjustment is regulated by the gas valve 34 located adjacent the pilot.

A two wire low voltage, mercury switch type thermostat 35 is located in the air duct I6 between the heating drum 20 and the first service outlet 36. This thermostat is designed to operate within a temperature range of 80 to 140 F. and on an adjustable temperature differential of from two to five degrees. The thermostat is mounted at an opening in the wall of the air duct so that the temperature adjusting pointer 31 is conveniently located on the outside of the air duct and the temperature sensitive bimetal 38 will be in the stream of heated air when the apparatus is in operation.

When the thermostat 35 is set for operation :at say 110 F. with a diierential of two degrees, (the differential range being 109 F. to 111 F.) if the temperature in the duct I6 shall rise to 111 F. the mercury switch 35a will open, thus opening the circuit to the magnetic valve 29 and causing it to closeand cut off the supply of fuel. As soon as the temperature in the duct I6 shall have fallen to 109 F. the mercury switch 35a will automatically be closed by the thermostat 35, which condition restores power to the magnetic valve 29 and causes it to open andfagain permit the passage of fuel to the burner provided of course that the pilot light is burning all of the time.

A power circuit 39 supplies alternating current at 110 volts through the line switch 40 for driving the motor 4I which is -directly connected to the blower I8. The rectifier transformer 42 converts the 110 volts alternating current to twenty (20) volts direct current which is used to operate the magnetic gas valve 29. f

Referring again to Fig. 1, the plate I I also carries a heat insulated casing 43 enclosing an air ydistributing and air mixing chamber extending the plate I I.

above the heating drum, and surrounding the heating drum and its frustrum of a cone above To facilitate the distribution of the drying air before heating, a disk 45 perforated with large holes may be placed in the air distributing and air mixing chamber thus dividing it into two parts, the lower part 44a, and the upper part 44h. The distribution of the drying air before heating is greatly improved also by the use of a baiifle or short elbow 46 placed at the outlet I9 so as to deflect air from the blower around the frustrum of the cone. The air duct I6 for distributing heated air is connected to an outlet 41 of the upper part of the air -distributing and mixing chamber 44h near its top. The pipe 48 is connected to the outlet 49 of the combustion chamber and serves not only as a flue for the Acombustion chamber but also as means for transferring heat from the flue gases to the drying air passing through the air duct I5.

The air duct I 6 has a series of outlets 36, 50, each of which is connected to an air conduit leading to an individual service equipment. v In order to provide approximately the same quantity of air at each of the outlets, as they may be used, the outlets 36 nearer the heating drum are larger than the most remote outlet 50; in addition an air baifle 5I is located inside the air duct I6 as shown in Fig. 2. Each baie has the form shown inrFig. 3 and may be bent along the line 52 so that the quantity of air deflected by it may be varied as may be found necessary or desirable. R

At the present time, the demand for hair drying equipment using heated air under pressure, requires two types of apparatus, one blowing air through an air nozzle, an-d the other arranged for distributing heated air over the head through a hollow helmet or hood. Referring-to Fig. 8, the hood 53 is attached to a curved air conduit 54a, by the bolted hinge 55. When blown air is required, the hood 53 is moved to the position 53cm shown dotted, and as shown in Fig. 4 an air nozzle 56 is placed on the end of the curved air conduit 54 and held in place by a friction fit.

An important feature is the means employed for adjusting the individual air service hoods to correct vertical positions for persons of different heights. Referring to Fig. 4 and also Fig. 1, a suitable wide cylindrical bearing plate 51 is fastened to the air duct I6. An opening 55 passes through both the bearing plate and the air duct.

A narrower band 58 is fastened to the curved air conduit 54 in front of the air duct I6, and extending nearly around it, terminates in a projecting lip 58j at the back of the air duct I6. The curved air conduit 54 is also provided with a cylindrical bearing surface 54e and a projecting lip 54). lA sheet of vulcanized bre 59 is placed between the contacting bearing surfaces of the plate 5'I and the curved air conduit 54. The band lip 58;* and conduit lip 54j are held nearly together by two bolts 60 tted with wing nuts 6I. The wing nut-s are set just tight enough so that the hood 53, when fastened to the curved air conduit 54a as shown in Fig. 8, can be easily moved up and down and set at any desired elevation-the air conduit and its band being rotated slightly with respect to the air duct I6. Referring again to Fig. 4, the rotary movement of the air conduit 54 is limited to desirable amounts by provi-ding a slot 63 in the band 58 for the pipe 12 conveying unheated air.

Referring to Fig. 8, the spring catch 64 and engaging pin 65 are provided opposite the hinge 55 to clasp the hood 53 rigidly to the curved lair conduit 54a. This permits moving the hood to a higher position by simply pushing it upwardthe longer leverage secured by making the hood and curved air conduit rigidsaving both manual effort as well as providing greater convenience.

Referring again to Figs. l and 4, the quantity of air passing to each indivi-dual service equipment is regulated by a butterfly valve 66 placed near the outer end of its curved air conduit 54. The valve 56 is provided with a lever arm 61 on each side of the air conduit 54, one to close it and the other to open it. A pull cord 68 from each lever arm passes through an eyelet' 69 fastened to the corresponding side of the hood. The maximum air capacity setting of the valve is provided by a stop pin 'I0 attached to the valve plate 66.

An important feature also shown in Fig. 4, is means for regulating the temperature of air delivered to individual service equipment. Means for securing this desirable service are provided by linsertinga pipe 'I2 through an opening 'II in the backof the air duct I6 at the curved air conduit 54. The pipe 72 is connected to an air pipe line I3 supplying unheate-d air from the blower I8 at low pressure. Further, the pipe 'I2 is provided with a valve I4 for regulating the quantity of unheated air. One end of the pipe 'I2 projects from the inside ofthe duct I6 through its outlet 5U and into the curved air conduit 54. The curved air conduit 54 provides space for mixing the heated air from the air duct I6 with the unheated air from the air pipe '12.

Another important feature shown in Figs. '7 and 8 is means for regulating the temperature of air delivered to individual service equipments by diluting the heated air with air taken directly from the atmosphere. Means of accomplishing this desirable service are provided by placing an air bale or partition '15, inside the curved air conduit 54a and arranged to partially cover an opening 13or through the back of the curved air conduit 54a. The opening 13a inthe back of the curved air conduit 54a is provided with a sliding air valve 'I6 for regulating the quantity of air taken at atmospheric pressure.

An important modication of the means for regulating the temperature of air delivered to individual service equipments is shown in Fig. 6. This modified means is provided by inserting a pipe 12b through an opening 13b in the curved air conduit 5419 and placing a valve 'Mb in the pipe 12b. One end of the pipe 12b projects inside the curved air conduit 54h suiciently so that heated air flowing thorugh the air conduit 54h will draw in air at atmospheric temperature and pressure when the valve 'Mb is open or partly open. The temperature of the resulting mixed air will then be lower than the prior temperature of the heated air. Although the amount of temperature regulation which can be secured by this means is limited, nevertheless it is sufficient to be satisfactory when the temperature of air supplied to the air duct I6 is not unusually high.

The casing 43 is covered with a heat insulating material '11. Other parts, except as otherwise herein described, are of suitable metal.

While I have shown and described a certain form of my invention, selected for purpose of illustration, it is tobe understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and in the arrangements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all' novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as i possible in view of the prior state of the art.

What I regard as new, claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A hair drier comprising a heating drum provided with a conical bottom, an exhaust flue extending horizontally from said drum, a casing surrounding said drum in spaced relation with respect to the side and top and bottom walls thereof and provided with a hot air duct surrounding said exhaust iue, a conduit depending from said conical bottom through the bottom wall of said casing, a source of heat in said conduit for supplying hot gases to the interior of said drum, a hot air applying member carried by said duct. and a blower beneath said casing provided with an outlet projecting through the bottom wall of said casing for directing air to be heated against said conical bottom for distribution therefrom upwardly along and over said drum and to and through said duct for delivery to said applying member.

2. A hair drier comprising a casing having top, bottom and side walls, a heating drum therein provided with similar walls spaced from the corresponding walls of the casing to provide an intervening heating chamber coextensive with the surface of the drum, a conduit extending from the bottom wall of said drum through the corresponding wall of said casing, a source of heat for supplying hot gases to said drum through said conduit, a conduit extending into said casing beneath the bottom wall of said drum for supplying air to be heated, a hot air supply duct communicating with said chamber and extending horizontally from said casingl adjacent the upper end thereof,

and a hot air applying member communicating with said duct and carried thereby.

W. VERE RIFLE. 

